1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a storage apparatus for storing an endless elongated strip, such as a magnetic tape and other recording medium. More specifically, the invention relates to an endless elongated strip storage apparatus which can smoothly feed the strip from inlet to outlet. The invention also relates to a recorded tape duplicator system which employs the aforementioned storage apparatus for storing an endless recorded tape.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the recent years, there have been developed high speed recorded tape duplicator systems utilizing an endless master tape. In such duplicator systems, it is essential to smoothly feed the endless master tape in order to enable a high speed duplicating operation. Also, smooth feeding of the endless tape is essential for preventing the master tape from breaking. For accomplishing a satisfactorily smooth feed of the tape through the duplicating system at high speed, the tape in the endless tape storage apparatus has to be smoothly transferred from inlet to the outlet. In the tape storage apparatus, the tape has to be regularly folded in a pleatlike fashion for preventing jamming in the apparatus. Furthermore, in case of a chromium coated tape, metal tape and so forth, heavy folding of the tape tends to form permanent wrinkles. Such excessively heavy folding of the tape tends to occur when tape is accumulated at bend in the tape path in the storage apparatus.